# Why capitalize "Black"? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 1, 2023, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-capitalize-black/977455 "2023-01-01T09:50:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-capitalize-black/977455/241 "2023-01-03T20:18:27Z")
incoherent accusation - tick inability to back it up - tick Mighty Mouse turning up out of nowhere for no reason - tick The Bingo card is nearly full, only one usual suspect to go. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-capitalize-black/977455/242 "2023-01-03T20:24:56Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > incoherent accusation - tick It coheres for other folks. Your persistent stupidity is not my communication error. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-capitalize-black/977455/243 "2023-01-03T20:38:15Z")
Man, “dropping this” must work very different where you’re from. You’ve _never_ listened. Just looked for shit to nitpick and leadingly question. Don’t pretend you’re some master of intentional dialogue now, mate. Too little, too late. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-capitalize-black/977455/244 "2023-01-03T20:38:20Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > It coheres for other folks. Your persistent stupidity is not my communication error. So back up your claim of my hypocrisy on the subject of dialogue if it is so obvious. Should be simple to do no? Should be so simple for you to point out my glaring hypocrisy and prove yourself right and show where I’m wrong. If it coheres for others then they are free to do so as well. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-capitalize-black/977455/245 "2023-01-03T20:41:18Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Don’t pretend you’re some master of intentional dialogue There’s nothing to master. talk, listen, talk listen. The only thing to remember is that this applies to both sides. Telling one side to “shut up” is pretty much the antithesis of dialogue. Hard to progress from there. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-capitalize-black/977455/246 "2023-01-03T20:52:05Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > There’s nothing to master. talk, listen, talk listen. Never seen any evidence of you listening. All you do is talk. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-capitalize-black/977455/247 "2023-01-03T20:55:58Z")
I don’t even know how it is possible to reply that post without implictly showing that I was listening. Let me actively listen now, tell me. What would count as evidence, to you, of me listening? I’m certainly listening for others to back up their hypocrisy claim. No sign of that as yet. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-capitalize-black/977455/248 "2023-01-03T20:56:47Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > What would count as evidence, to you, of me listening? Well, you shutting up would be a good start. I’m not holding my breath, though… ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-capitalize-black/977455/249 "2023-01-03T20:59:03Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > I’m certainly listening for others I guess maybe that’s your problem. You are always listening _for_, you never listen _to_. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-capitalize-black/977455/250 "2023-01-03T21:02:34Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Well, you shutting up would be a good start. I’m not holding my breath, though… Unless I’m actively interrupting you typing your post then I am completely silent whilst you have you say. As are you when I have mine. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-capitalize-black/977455/251 "2023-01-03T21:04:26Z")
Yep, called it, good thing I knew better than to hold my breath. You do know the difference between _hearing_ and _listening_, right? That is a thing in your dialect, right? ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-capitalize-black/977455/252 "2023-01-03T21:06:56Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > I guess maybe that’s your problem. You are always listening _for_, you never listen _to_. Jesus Christ, that is pretty pathetic. Snipping my post in order to grossly misrepresent what I said and make a cheap point. A point that is completely with odds with what I’ve said throughout this thread, i.e. the importance of talking to others and hearing what they have to say. Are you happy that what you did there was in good faith? ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-capitalize-black/977455/253 "2023-01-03T21:11:47Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > You do know the difference between _hearing_ and _listening_, right? That is a thing in your dialect, right? I certainly listened to what you said and what I understood you to mean was that I should shut up. i.e. not speak (or I assume type) anymore, which I reject, Though I listened to what you said, I disagreed with it. Do you understand that “listening” and “agreeing” are also different? ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-capitalize-black/977455/254 "2023-01-03T21:13:21Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > Though I listened to what you said, I disagreed with it. Yes, I noticed you do that _a lot_. Like, almost without fail. Even when I’m relating my actual experiences around race issues. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-capitalize-black/977455/255 "2023-01-03T21:15:44Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > Are you happy that what you did there was in good faith? Yes, very much so. It is exactly what your problem is. I didn’t misrepresent you, grossly or otherwise. I quoted what you said, and explained the meaning of the words that you chose to use. Now that it has been identified for you, it is on you to work on it. Not that you will, as the entire point of what you do here is to look for something to object to and insert your objection. You are not here to listen or to learn, only to show off how wonderful and smart you think you are. Have you _ever_ posted anything in good faith? I’ve never seen it. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-capitalize-black/977455/256 "2023-01-03T21:16:50Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Even when I’m relating my actual experiences around race issues. I absolutely have not. I am in no position to doubt the validity of your own experiences and never would. Show me where I’ve done that and I’ll apologise immediately. That would be a dreadful thing to do. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-capitalize-black/977455/257 "2023-01-03T21:17:38Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > Yes, very much so. It is exactly what your problem is. I didn’t misrepresent you, grossly or otherwise. I quoted what you said, and explained the meaning of the words that you chose to use. why did you crop the sentence in that place, why did you not use the full sentence? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-capitalize-black/977455/258 "2023-01-03T21:27:53Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > I think you’re mixing up White and English 🙂 It would be nice not to perpetuate yet another prejudice, in a thread like this. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-capitalize-black/977455/259 "2023-01-03T21:29:19Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > I absolutely have not. You’ve done it in this very thread, when you questioned whether my usage of Black would be acceptable to 3 Black actors. Rather than just listening and saying “thanks for the example”, you fucking _interrogated_ it like I was an innocent pedestrian being nabbed under a sus law. That would have been a time to just shut the fuck up and not insert you damn fool opinion about what would and wouldn’t be acceptable to my fellow PoCs. I’m awaiting that apology. I’m _expecting_ a lot more talk, talk talk. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-capitalize-black/977455/260 "2023-01-03T21:31:22Z")
It was a motherfucking joke. And where I’m coming from, distinctly punching up, not down. It’s not like I haven’t actually rhapsodized about English cooking here before, either. Trust me, this is not the thread for _another_ Englishman to come at me. Just step the fuck away. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-capitalize-black/977455.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-capitalize-black/977455.md?page=14)